LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

Existing law, the California Community Care Facilities Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of community care facilities, as defined, by the State Department of Social Services. Existing law, in order to protect the health and safety of persons receiving care or services from individuals or facilities licensed by the state or from individuals certified or approved by a foster family agency, authorizes the California Department of Aging, the State Department of Public Health, the State Department of Health Care Services, the State Department of Social Services, and the Emergency Medical Services Authority to share information with respect to applicants, licensees, certificate holders, or individuals who have been the subject of any administrative action, as defined, resulting in one of specified actions, including, among others, the denial of a license, permit, or certificate of
approval. Existing law also authorizes, for the same purpose, the State Department of Social Services and county child welfare agencies to share those same types of information.

This bill would instead require the above-described agencies to share the information relating to administrative actions under the 2 respective provisions. By creating new duties for county officials, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

Digest Key

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 1522.08 of the Health and Safety Code is amended to read:

1522.08.

(a) In order to protect the health and safety of persons receiving care or services from individuals or facilities licensed by the state or from individuals certified or approved by a foster family agency, the following information shall be shared:

(1) The California Department of Aging, State Department of Public Health, State Department of Health Care Services, State Department of Social Services, and the Emergency Medical Services Authority
shall
share information with respect to applicants, licensees, certificate holders, or individuals who have been the subject of any administrative action resulting in the denial, suspension, probation, revocation, or rescission of a license, permit, or certificate of approval, or in the exclusion of any person from a facility, certified family home, or resource family home who is subject to a background check, as otherwise provided by law.

(2) The State Department of Social Services and county child welfare agencies shall share information with respect to applicants, licensees, certificate holders, or individuals who have been the subject of any administrative action resulting in the denial, suspension, probation, revocation, or rescission of a
license, permit, or certificate of approval, or in the exclusion of any person from a facility, certified family home, or resource family home who is subject to a background check, as otherwise provided by law.

(b) The State Department of Social Services shall maintain a centralized system for the monitoring and tracking of final administrative actions, to be used by the California Department of Aging, State Department of Public Health, State Department of Health Care Services, State Department of Social Services, the Emergency Medical Services Authority, and county child welfare agencies as a part of the background check process. The State Department of Social Services may charge a fee to departments under the jurisdiction of the California Health and Human Services Agency and to county child welfare agencies sufficient to cover the cost of providing those departments with the final administrative action specified in subdivision (a). To the
extent that additional funds are needed for this purpose, implementation of this subdivision shall be contingent upon a specific appropriation provided for this purpose in the annual Budget Act.

(c) The State Department of Social Services, in consultation with the other departments under the jurisdiction of the California Health and Human Services Agency, may adopt regulations to implement this section.

(d) For the purposes of this section and Section 1499, “administrative action” means any proceeding initiated by the California Department of Aging, State Department of Public Health, State Department of Health Care Services, State Department of Social Services, Emergency Medical Services Authority, and county child welfare agencies to determine the rights and duties of an applicant, licensee, certificate holder, or other individual or entity over which the department has
jurisdiction. “Administrative action” may include, but is not limited to, action involving the denial of an application for, or the suspension, revocation, or rescission of, any license, special permit, certificate of approval, administrator certificate, criminal record clearance, exemption, or exclusion.

SEC. 2.

To the extent that this act has an overall effect of increasing the costs already borne by a local agency for programs or levels of service mandated by the 2011 Realignment Legislation within the meaning of Section 36 of Article XIII of the California Constitution, it shall apply to local agencies only to the extent that the state provides annual funding for the cost increase. Any new program or higher level of service provided by a local agency pursuant to this act above the level for which funding has been provided shall not require a subvention of funds by the state or otherwise be subject to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.